Ethnic differences in signs of type 2 diabetes are apparent at an early age
21 April 2010
The findings could help to identify at-risk children at an earlier age and may provide opportunities for early prevention.
It's already known that South Asian and African-Caribbean adults living in the UK have higher risk of type 2 diabetes than white Europeans. The new study, published today in 'PLoS Medicine', reveals that signs of disease are already present in childhood.
The results come from the Child Heart and Health Study in England (CHASE), which looks at the health of British children aged nine and ten in London, Birmingham and Leicester. Researchers from St George's, University of London tested blood samples from 4796 children.
Even at this young age, tests revealed that children from South Asian families had raised levels of blood markers that are associated with type 2 diabetes. Black African-Caribbean children also had higher levels of risk factors than white children, but the difference was less marked.
"These findings are particularly important in light of the growing problem that type 2 diabetes represents worldwide," said Professor Peter Whincup, who led the research. "They suggest that at least some of the causes of ethnic differences in the prevalence of diabetes are working before adult life."
"We know that being physically active, eating healthily and avoiding being overweight help all children to lower their long-term risks of type 2 diabetes, but we need to do more research to find out which particular factors make Asian and African-Caribbean people more likely to develop diabetes, so that we can establish the most effective measures for preventing the disease from an early stage in life."
It is estimated that 2.5 million people in the UK have diabetes. South Asian people in the UK are about three times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than white Europeans, and for African-Caribbeans it's around double the risk.
People with this condition are less responsive to the hormone insulin, which is important for controlling blood sugar levels. Long-term, this can lead to kidney failure, blindness and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, but the disease can be controlled with diet and exercise.
Dr Mike Knapton, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said: "This research shows how important it is that we take a life-course approach to tackling health inequalities. We need to intervene early to divert these children off the road to ill health."
Image: Adolescent African-Caribbean boy drinking water after exercise. Credit: Anne-Katrin Purkiss, Wellcome Images
Reference
Whincup PH et al. Early emergence of ethnic differences in type 2 diabetes precursors in the UK: The Child Heart and Health Study in England (CHASE). PLoS Med 2010;7:e1000263
